Ironing table top



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INVENTOR. a/wun J.' Mwvso/v BY WP/Q4 United States Patent IRONING TABLETOP Donald J. Munson, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to The J. R. ClarkCompany, Spring Park, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Apr. 28,1958, Ser. No. 731,537V

6 Claims. (Cl. v58139) This invention relates to ironing tables and isparticularly directed to improvements in ironing table tops or boards.

In my application Serial No. 641,149, filed February 19, 1957, there isdisclosed a novel top construction for ironing tables which allows thefront end portion or nose of the normally tapered top to be expanded toconvert the top to a condition where it has a constant width throughoutits length. The present invention is a modification of the conceptdisclosed in that application.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved top construction for ironing tables wherein a conventionalshaped elongated top having a unitary top surface with a tapering noseis provided with means for expanding and contracting the ironing surfacearea provided by the nose.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ironing table tophaving wing sections mounted thereon for relative spreading and closingmovement to convert the top between tapered and generally rectangularshapes and having a new and improved control means for so moving saidwing sections.

With these and other objects in view the invention broadly comprises theproviding of a conventional shaped ironing table top having a taperedfront end or nose portion with a pair of laterally opposing wingsections which are pivoted to the top for movement between a relativelyclosed position lying under the top nose portion and a relatively spreadposition on either side of the nose portion to give the top a constantwidth throughout its length, and a control member pivoted to theunderside of the top and connected to the wing sections.

The above mentioned and additional objects of the invention will bebrought to light during the course of the following specication,reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is aplan view -of the top with the nose wing section closed leaving the nosein tapered condition for normal ironing.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the front end or nose portion of the top inexpanded condition for use in ironing large pieces of tlatwork or thelike.

Fig. 3 is a left side elevation of the nose portion of the top inexpanded condition.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section through the controlpivot housing taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section through the top with. the noseexpanded and taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 3 and looking in the directionof the arrows.

Fig. 6 is an inverted plan view of the nose portion of the top incollapsed or normal operating condition.

Fig. 7 is an inverted plan view of the nose portion of the top inexpanded condition as in Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings reference numerals willbe used to denote like parts or structural features in the diierentviews. The top is denoted generally at 10. It comprises a frame made upof longi- 2,939,233 Patented June 7, 1960 tudinal frame members 11`andtransverse frame members 12 which support an elongated sheet 14 of sheetmaterial, such as flattened expanded metal, which forms the ironingsurface. A marginal flange, denoted generally at 15, extendsperipherally around the sheet 14 and is preferably connected to the endsof the frame members to provide a rigid unitary top structure. The topis, of course, supported by a suitable understructure such as a pair ofleg Aframes connected to the frame for erecting and collapsingoperation. Inasmuch as such top supporting structure forms no part ofthe present invention, it is not shown in the drawings.

The top has the usual forwardly tapering design with the llange 15having portions 16 extending in parallel throughout the main portion ofthe top length and portions 17 which converge toward the front end ofthe top into an arcuate flange portion 18 forming a tapered nose. Asthus far described the top has a conventional design.

A pair of wing sections mounted on the nose portion of the top forlaterally expanding and contracting that portion are each designatedgenerally at 19. Each of these sections comprises an elongatedlongitudinally tapering piece of flat rigid sheet material 20 having amarginal ilange 21 along one straight edge. The sections are mounted asshown in Fig. l with their broader ends lying in overlapping relationimmediately under the sheet 14 and 'with the llanges 21 extendingrearwardly along the flange portions 17. At the junction of the topflange portions 16 and 17 at each side of the top, the flange 15 isprovided with a vertical slot 22 (Fig. 2). Flange 21 on each wingsection 19 has a tongue 24 projecting rearwardly therefrom and inwardlythrough the slot 22 to provide a hinge connection between the top andwing section for moving the section 19 on a horizontal plane about avertical pivot connection at its rear end. -l-"lange portions 17 on thetop lil are provided with elongated slits 25 which extend along theilange immediately below the plane of the sheet 14 as shown in Figs. 3and 4. These slits extend the entire length of the sections 19 and thesheeting sections 29 extend therethrough along the underside of thesheet 14. While the front portions of the longitudinal ribs 11 arepositioned to support the sheet 14 they are not connected thereto thusallowing the wing section sheets 20 to slide therebetween. Thus the twosections 19 are movable between the relatively closed and spreadpositions shown respectively in Figs. l and 2, with the sheets 20 ofsections 19 in each case lying just under sheet 14 to present asubstantially continuous surface therewith when lying in their spread orouter positions. A guide plate 26 is mounted across the leading ends ofmembers 11 to guide the wings in their inward and outward movement.

A control means for operating the wing sections between their spread andclosed positions is provided and will now be described in detail. Atray-shaped shield member 27 is mounted under the nose portion of thetop with its lateral and front edges secured to the flange portions 17and 18. The side walls of the shield are provided with longitudinallyextending slots 28. An elongated control handle 29 is pivoted on top ofthe shield 27 as by a rivet at 3i) for swinging movement about avertical axis. The shield is provided with an arcuate slot 31 formedabout the axis of pivot 30. The controlv extends in opposite directionsfrom the pivot Vwith an'gextended portion 3.2A extending through theslot31 and'carrying a knob 34 atits end. A pairrof rigid links 35 have theirinner ends'pivoted to the control ,29- at points which are diametricallyopposed and, equally spaced with respect to the pivot laxis 30 andtheirrouter ends pivoted to the anges 21 on the wing sections 19, thelinks extending laterally through slots 28.

t The inner edges of the wing top sheetsr'Z maymbe 'Y curled slightly inopposite directions as at 36 to prohibit edge to edge contact whenthesections are closed and enabling the sheets to smoothly slide one overthe other. The-frontcdge's .f37f;of'the sectionsare preferably formedwith: a smoothlyv curveddesign 'eliminatin'g any 'sharp cornersk toprohibitdamagetto vany padlused to cover the top-in its expandedcondition. Y l Y Operation of vthe invention'will-betreadily--understood During performance Vofthe normal vironingoperations the Anosetof Ythe top .will be ctmtracted-`asin Figs.` I 'and6 with the :wing section lsurface'vpieceselying in closed overlappingpositionainfcontiguous relation @under 4the nose portion of sheet .14.lflhe flangesZl-will rest against flange portions 17'of1the top10. Inthis ucondition the top, of course, has ya forward endwise taper and is`shaped Y in the rua-nner ofLa-conv'entional'top.

, When the ,operator desires/to expand-thenosefor atwork Aironing Ashemerely pullsV the knob V'34 swinging, v`the lever in its arcy ofmovement Aabout the pivot 30 tothe position shown in Fig.v 7.f This,- ofcourse, places links 35 under compression causing the Awing sections tobe pulled outwardly through slits 25 in a relatively'tspreading movementabout their rear end pivotal connections. When the control 29 engagesthe end 'of 'slot 31 the sections Vwill be fully -spread `with theflanges 21Y inalong-itudinal alignment with the rimV portions V16.inasmuch as the sheeting sections 2i) lie immediatelybelow the sheet 14they will in effect form lateral extensions tothe ironing surface of thetop nose portion and give the overall ironing surface a rectangularshape.

Conversely, to close the sections 19 4the control is swung in a Yreturndirection on its 'pivot `and links 35 will be placed under-'tensionpulling Athe sections 19 into the lateral limits of the top nose portionwith anges 21 Y resting against the rim portions 17.

scribed my invention, what I claim to be new and dei sirey to protect byLetters Patent is:

1.'An ironing table top structure comprising an elon- 'gated unitary topmember having a body portion with parallel sideedges and ia nose portionextending integrally from one end of the body portion and havingconverging side edges, an elongated Vside wing member extendinglongitudinally along one side of the nose portion with the wingrmemberand nose portion complementarily providing argenerally ilat ironingsurface and the longitudinal side edge of the wing member remote fromthe nose portion being straightY and disposedin longitudinal alignmentwith the adjacent side edge of the body portion, means movably mountingthe Wing member on the top member for inward movement of the wing memberin a plane generally parallel to the plane of the ironing surface intooverlapping relation with respect to the nose portion so as Vto providefor a contracted end .ironing surface, and said nose portion extendingendwise from the body portion a distance `greater than the wing member.

' 2. An ironing table top structure comprising an elongated unitary topmember having a body portion with parallel side edges and 4a noseAportion extending integrally from one Vvend of the body portionandhaving convergingv Yslide edges, Vapair of elongated sideY wingvmembers extending longitudinallyat opposite sides of the nose portion'Withthe wing 'members and nose por# .tion complementarily providing. agenerally'rat ironing v"surface which is equal in width togthe bodyportion,

means movably mounting the wing memberson VVVthe top Y member for inwardmovement of the wing members in `a plane generally parallel tothe planeof the ironing surface into overlapping-relation with respect to thenose portion so as to provide for a contracted end ironing surface, andsaid nose portion iextending endwise from the `body portion a distancevgreater than the wing members. D Y

t A3. The subject matter of claimt?. whereinea single control memberV is-rotat'ablyinfounted Yon the :underside of lthe top for rotation on an-axis perpendicular'rtolthe ironing surface, and means connecting` thecontrol member to both wing men`i`bersfor 'simultaneously moving such`planesparallel:to said ironing surface between relativelyspread'position lying besideV the noseV portion and a reiatively closedposition overlapping the nose portion, Vsaid wings having'flattopVsurfaces and being mounted with said surfaces in contiguous' relationto 'the underside of said shee'tingto form extensionsY of 'said Vironingsurface when in spread., position" and to underlie said sheeting when inclosed position, the length of the top forward ofthe pivot axes beinggreater than the length of the Wing members forward of the pivot axes.

5. The subject matter of claim 4 wherein vthe top is provided withdepending flange means extendingv along the end of the nose portion andin 'parallelism 'along the sides of the body portion, Vand each wingmember having astraight depending flange along Vits outerfedge adaptedto connect the nosep'ortion and the adjacent body portion flange meanswhenV the wing'm'embers are in closed position and tollie Vin end'to endalignment with said bodyportion flange means when the wing memberstarein spread positionfV 6.- In an ironingv table top structure,V a tophaving a body portionnand .an end portion,v said Q-eridv .portion be ingYcomprisedrof Van integral` extensionfof the `bodyy portion and a pairof side wings one'attreach-sidejof ythey extension having -top surfacescomplementarily ywithv the extension providing aV generally-,Hat.ironing surface, means movably mounting: said wingsonthe top formovement ofy the entire top surfaces thereof .on planes generallyparallel to the plane of Athefironing `Surface into overlapping relationwith respect to vthejextension so as to provide for `a contracted .endironing surface, a

wing control member Ipivoted Vto the underside of the extensiontransversely intermediate the wings on en -axis perpendicular to saidsurface, land rigid link means connecting the wings todiametrically'opposing points on the control with respect to theYcontrol-pivot axis.

References Cited in vthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

